


30 Day BenKaru Challenge -- Day 15, At A Formal Starfleet Event

by tinynerdlet



Series: 30 Day BenKaru Challenge [15]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-08-14 00:21:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7991722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinynerdlet/pseuds/tinynerdlet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Sulu family goes to the christening of the rebuilt <em>Enterprise</em>. Ben gets the meet all the people Hikaru's been working with, but the meetings don't make him feel any better about Hikaru going back to the stars.</p>
            </blockquote>





	30 Day BenKaru Challenge -- Day 15, At A Formal Starfleet Event

**Author's Note:**

> [See Story On Tumblr](http://spoopynerdlet.tumblr.com/post/149171407928/day-15-of-benkaru-at-a-formal-starfleet-event)

Hikaru, Ben, and Demora arrived twenty minutes early. It wasn’t anyone’s idea in particular, just a quiet understanding the moment they put on their formal wear that arriving late wasn’t an option. Hikaru couldn’t be late to the christening of the rebuilt Enterprise. His family wasn’t required to attend, but there was some instance from the youngest in the family.

Ben was hesitant to go to the formal event, as he always was with Starfleet events of any kind, but Demora wanted to show off her new formal dress - a yellow furisode printed with flowers in blues, purples, pinks, and leaves of green. Hikaru had taken the time to create a matching head piece, which they braided gently into her hair over her left ear. Hikaru said that Ben could still stay home, but Ben fished out a suit he saved for a while and put it on. It drastically clashed with Demora’s furisode, but no one in the family unit cared. Demora even helped him pick out a tie as Hikaru put on his events uniform.

Even though they arrived early, there were still plenty of people there mingling, many of whom were members of Hikaru’s space family. The first few people he made eye contact with he wasn’t particularly close to, so he gave a nod, they returned it, and they moved on. But the social silence didn’t stay for long.

“There you are!” a woman called. Hikaru looked towards it. Uhura made her way through the crowd, smiling, “I was wondering when you would get here.”

“I thought we were early,” Hikaru said.

“Oh, you are,” she answered, “Spock just wanted to get here earlier than everyone else. Regulation and all that.” Her attention turned to Ben. “You must be Ben. I’m Nyota Uhura. Your husband and I work on the bridge together. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

They shook hands.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well,” Ben answered. When Uhura’s attention flicked to Demora, Hikaru made eye contact with Ben and smiled. Ben gave a soft smile on his own.

“And you must be Demora,” Uhura said.

“Uh-huh.”

“You look really beautiful tonight.”

“Thank you. Daddy did my hair,” Demora said, looking over at Hikaru.

“Did he?” Uhura asked, “I may have to get your daddy to do my hair sometime.”

Conversation with Uhura continued for a while. In that time, a server came by with drinks. Hikaru asked if they had anything non-alcoholic. The server left and came back later with sparkling cider. Demora spent the next few minutes showing off her formal drinking skills to Uhura who, in turn, taught her some of the best ways to hold stemmed glasses.

During this exchange, Spock walked over.

“Mr. Sulu,” he said, no smile on his face, “I trust that you have been using this time off well.”

“I have, Commander,” Hikaru answered, “I’ve been spending it with my family.”

Introductions were made. Neither Ben or Demora moved to touch Spock, which Hikaru was thankful for. Spock gave a small compliment to Demora on her choice of wear, with a small verbal nudge on Uhura’s part, and then the two of them left to mingle with others.

Hikaru let his family to a small table on the far end of the room, across from the giant windows that revealed the finished Enterprise. Other members of the Enterprise crew came by and talking with them. Those that spent the longest time were Pavel Chekov, who had made a series of comments about how the cider they were drinking was crafted in Russia, and Leonard McCoy, who spent most of his time talking with Demora while Hikaru and Ben made polite conversation with other members of the crew. During Doctor McCoy’s stint at the table, James Kirk approached.

“That big, old Doctor isn’t scaring you, is he?” Kirk asked.

“No,” Demora answered.

“They’ve been having a conversation for awhile, Captain,” Hikaru answered, “I think Demora’s grown to like him.”

“I wouldn’t trust him too much,” Kirk teased, “He might hypo you.”

“You know just as well as I do that all my hypos are saved for you, Jim,” McCoy answered. A look was exchanged between the two of them.

“Ben, this is Captain Kirk,” Hikaru said. Kirk’s attention was drawn back to Hikaru and Ben. He smiled and held out his hand.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Kirk said. Ben shook his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you as well, Captain.”

“You’re the Captain?” Demora asked. Everyone’s attention was turned towards her for a moment.

“I am. Don’t I look like the Captain?” Kirk asked.

“Is Daddy going with you into space again?” Demora asked.

“He is,” Kirk said, “But not for as long this time.”

“Can you make sure that Daddy is safe?”

Hikaru’s heart swelled. He watched Kirk smile and lean forward on the table.

“I will do everything I can to make sure your daddy gets home safely.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

“Pinkie promise?”

Kirk put out his hand and stuck out his pinkie. Demora locked hers with his, or tried. Her hand was far to small.

“Pinkie promise,” Kirk said.

Hikaru smiled and then glanced at Ben, who was smiling as well. Kirk pulled back. Hikaru turned his attention back to Kirk.

“I have to keep making rounds,” Kirk said, “You all enjoy yourself.” His eyes flicked to Demora, “Especially you.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Hikaru said. Kirk nodded and walked away. McCoy continued polite conversation with Demora.

“He can’t really promise her that,” Ben whispered. Hikaru looked at him. Sadness encased Ben’s eyes, but tears didn’t touch them.

“He can,” Hikaru answered. Ben looked at him. “If something does happen to me, no matter what that is, Captain Kirk would have been right there trying his best to keep me alive, no matter what the cost. We’re all his family.”

Ben was silent for a moment, and then he nodded.


End file.
